Colorado Rapids / MLS

Rapids tie with FC Dallas, MLS' top team, run unbeaten streak to 6

Chris Klute of the Rapids works his way between FC Dallas players Jackson, left, and Zach Loyd during the first half Saturday night in Commerce City. More photos. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post)

COMMERCE CITY — The Rapids' recent run of good form needed a higher level of validation.

And there was no better team in Major League Soccer to give it to them than the league leader, FC Dallas. And so the Rapids, unbeaten in their last five contests coming into the match, set out to get an early indicator of how improved they were.

They will take the result, a 2-2 draw Saturday night before 17,551 fans at Dick's Sporting Goods Park that pushed their unbeaten streak to six games.

"I have to say that (Saturday) was a game, especially in the second half, we showed a lot of determination to go forward, courage to go battle," Rapids coach Oscar Pareja said. "I thought the boys did great in the second half.

"They matched well against a good team. This is the team people say is the team."

An uneventful first half turned into fireworks in the second, with four goals scored in a 10-minute span and two players accounting for the damage — Colorado's Atiba Harris and FC Dallas forward Blas Perez.

The flurry was started by the Rapids in the 56th minute, when a Marvell Wynne throw-in was headed in by Harris, who was badly marked right in front of the FC Dallas goal. Harris jumped high and directed the ball far enough right and out of the reach of Dallas keeper Raul Fernandez.

But FC Dallas struck back in the 61st, when the Rapids could not fully clear a corner kick. Wynne headed out the initial opportunity, but FC Dallas dumped it back in. Harris tried to clear it, but his volley landed in the lap of Perez, who blasted in a rope from just outside the box to tie the score 1-1.

Harris was not done. His goal in the 64th minute put the Rapids back on top 2-1.

"I'm very happy for him," Pareja said. "He brings us that energy, such a professional player."

Perez struck again, just one minute later, and from near the same spot as his first to equalize the score at 2-2.

Both teams had additional moments of pressure afterward — the Rapids with a couple of corner kicks in stoppage time — but the game ended in a tie.

Defensively, the Rapids were in the midst of their best stretch of the season before Saturday's struggles. They recorded shutouts in five of their last eight games, while goalkeeper Clint Irwin racked up clean sheet after clean sheet.

But Colorado could not keep FC Dallas off the scoreboard in this one.

"I was a bit disappointed not to get the three points, but we'll take the point and look forward to San Jose," Atiba said.

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